Your law firm’s website is a presentation of you. At times, your first impression and it offers a significant potential for supporting and even enhancing your business development efforts, but can also cost you… and you’ll never know it!
We refer to this as the mirror test, as your firm’s website is a reflection of your firm and the capability of your team. I saw a National Review article earlier this month that included several solid statistics (which we have been shouting about for some time.) See excerpts from the article and our commentary below.
Ditch the Jammies—Your Website is Your Power Suit.
Think about it like this: You wouldn’t meet a prospective client at your firm’s door dressed in your pajamas. Sure, they’re comfy—but unless your Law Firm practices fashion law with a specialized niche in sleepwear, it’s just not practical. You might be comfortable with your website, but that doesn’t mean it’s getting the job done. Your current site could be costing you!
First and foremost, you need a clean, crisp homepage. Cluttered websites with an overwhelming amount of content stuffed on the front page will send prospects straight to the back button (to search for the next firm in line). In fact, 95% of visitors who bounce from a site never return.
Remember, you want visitors to spend time on your website, but the content needs to be concise for bite-sized consumption. Unless they find what they want quickly, they are gone from your site. The average internet user only spends between 10-20 seconds on a given webpage. So it is critical to capture their attention, and pique their interest, then lead them to the right page.
You need to address their unique challenges and needs. Your landing pages need to convince visitors that you are the firm for the job, and that means high-quality, targeted content that reinforces two simple truths:
- You understand their problem
- You have the experience to solve it.
Client testimonials are an effective marketing tool for law firms as well. They support and strengthen your claims while allowing satisfied clients to speak directly to potential clients. The greatest benefit? They speak the same language. It goes without saying that legal terminology is a foreign language to most people. Testimonials create a sense of trust and personal connection.
Your site must have a quality mobile experience. Recent research shows that Nearly 50% of Google searches are done from mobile phones and tablets.
It is even more critical for some firms as Google changes their holy grail of algorithms placing emphasis on mobile sites when it comes to ranking and display of information.
Ensure you invest in a clean, responsive layout that displays well across all platforms. If your mobile display is slow, or funky to navigate, you’re at risk to capture and retain your visitor’s attention.
If you need help deciding if it is time to review and update your website, please contact us for a complimentary evaluation. It will be time well spent!